Page 71 of My Vows Are Sealed

“Who else would it be?” I sighed. “Thanks, man. For not making me feel like a freak.”

“Oh, you’re a freak,” he teased, shoving my shoulder. “But not because you’re still a virgin. I’m way more concerned about the fact that youstillhaven’t seenO Brother, Where Art Thou? Everyone’sseen that movie.”

I laughed. “Yeah, I really should remedy that at some point. But right now, I have a very awkward phone call to make to my uncle.”

“Yeah, good luck with that,” he chuckled. “Is it wrong that I hope he fires the asshole?”

I snorted. “Nope. I do too. Maybe Frank’s replacement will be someone who actually knows what the hell he’s doing.”

“One can only hope,” he agreed. “See you at church tomorrow, man.”

“See you tomorrow,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder before getting into my car.

Chapter 20

Darla

Collide

Dressed in an old t-shirt and ripped jeans that I’d never wear in public, I grabbed the bottle of wood polish I’d bought from the hardware store a month ago and got to work. When I moved out of this house to go to college this fall, I couldn’t stand the thought of not taking my craft table with me, but it was getting old and worn, so earlier this month, I’d decided that I was going to sand it down and re-finish it. And now I was finally getting around to doing it.

The fact that I was graduating from high school in a few short weeks was mind-boggling. In some ways, it felt like it had been ten years instead of four since I’d stepped foot on the Charleston High campus for the first time. But in other ways, it felt like it was just yesterday.

These had been both the best and worst years of my life. They’d been the best years of my life because I’d met some amazing people that I knew I was going to stay friends with for the rest of my life and because I’d strengthened other friendships. And, of course, because of Brendan. Three and a half years later, and he was still the best thing that had ever happened to me. He’d been my strength when I had none, my hope and faith when mine was dwindling, and my promise for a better and brighter future.

The fact that I needed a promise for a better future was the reason that my high school years had also been the worst of my life. It seemed like the older I got, the more controlling, manic, and violent my dad got. Brendan had laid in my bed holding and consoling me more times than I could count after my dad had dislocated my shoulder (again), left me with welts and bruises from beating me with his belt, and broken my ribs. And most of the time, I hadn’t even done the thing he was accusing me of. But if I ever tried to tell him that, it just made it worse. It was better to just keep my mouth shut and accept my punishment than try to reason with him.

The cell phone that Brendan had given me so I could keep in touch with him and my friends buzzed from inside my purse, and I went to set down the bottle of polish so I could check it…but I didn’t set it down flat. The bottle tipped over and polish gushed out of the opening.

“Crap!” I groaned as I quickly stood the bottle up and used my rag to spread out the polish that had ended up on the table.

Once I’d salvaged as much as I could, I looked down at myself and saw that it had gottenall overmy clothes and skin. I needed to get in the shower to get it off, and there was a small puddle of it on the carpet too, which needed to be steam-cleaned before it was a completely lost cause. I went to my door and cracked it open.

“Mom!” I called. “Can you come help me, please?”

My mom came out of her bedroom and padded across the house toward my room.

“What’s wro—oh, my goodness!” she said as she took in my appearance.

“Yeah,” I chuckled. “I’m a klutz and knocked over the bottle of wood polish I was using to re-finish my craft table. I managed to use most of it on the table, but a lot got on me, and there’s a little bit on the carpet too. Do you mind steam-cleaning the carpet while I get in the shower?”

“Yes, of course,” she said. “Do me a favor and leave those clothes in the bathroom so you don’t get that polish on the rest of the clothes in the hamper.”

“I was going to do a separate load of laundry to wash them when I got out of the shower.”

“I just started a load, honey,” she said apologetically. “Just leave your clothes in there, and I’ll take care of it as soon as this load’s done.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

I headed off to the bathroom, quickly stripped out of my clothes, and threw them in the sink before getting in the shower. Why hadn’t I put an old sheet or something down before I started this project? This was my first time doing a project this big, but I’d worked with wood polish before. I knew better.

Just as I emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel, I heard the front door bang against the wall and then slam shut so hard that it echoed through the whole house.

“Darla!”my father roared. “Come out and fucking face what you’ve done!”

My heart leapt into my throat and I froze, unable to make my feet keep walking toward my bedroom, as his footsteps boomed down the hallway. When he came into view, his eyes had that same hard, manic look that I’d come to dread over the past few years. The look that told me he was in a blind rage, and no matter whether or not I’d actually committed whatever infraction he seemed to think I was guilty of this time, all I could do was grin and bear the beating until it was over.

“You thought you could just fucking wash the scent off, you lying Jezebel?!” he growled as he grabbed my arm and yanked me toward him. “You thought I wouldn’t find out that you’ve been whoring yourself around?”

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